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Being a K-pop group leader comes with a plethora of responsibilities. While some of them are clearly stated by the respective agency, most of them require an emotional and sensitive approach. Right from carrying out all group activities from up-front to resolving conflicts, leaders have a lot on their plate, which can often drain them physically and emotionally.
Many K-pop group leaders have opened up about their day-to-day struggles in various interviews and on social media. They have offered a peak into their hectic and exhaustive lives, revealing the pressure they face as leaders of an idol group.
NCT’s Taeyong, BTS’ RM, and more: Five K-pop group leaders who let their walls down
1) BTS’ RM
The road to becoming the biggest boy band in the world is not a straight path and nobody can vouch for it better than its leader RM (aka Kim Nam-joon). BTS, like any other K-pop group, also had its fair share of struggles and difficulties, most of them crashing down on RM by the virtue of being a K-pop group leader.
Talking about some of the hardest responsibilities he has to bear as a leader, he opened up on the South Korean show Problematic Men and said,
“The leader is in the position of taking the blame. The hardest part is that I have to represent both the group and the company. I also need to deliver their messages to the company.”
RM has broken multiple stereotypes attached to the leader of an idol group but the age factor remains the most prominent one. He has two members who are elder to him, Jin and SUGA, which he agreed might often create room for conflicts.
“Age is something you can’t ignore in Korean society. I don’t think you can ignore or make compromises with these kinds of conflicts.”
Ignorance of these minor technicalities can hamper the group’s unity in many ways. The K-pop group leader further explained how several comments by members amidst a serious discussion can also break the momentum and damage the leader’s charisma which is not good in the longer run.
2) NCT’s Taeyong
NCT’s Taeyong, the leader of all NCT sub-units, opened up about his struggles as the leader in a Bubble message dated July 7, 2022, which also marked NCT 127’s sixth debut anniversary. Considering this year will mark the much-talked-about seventh year in the industry, Taeyong penned a heartfelt letter to his fans pouring out his deepest frustrations and tensions. The K-pop group leader said,
“The manager hyung who told me a team that’s not number one is meaningless during debut and the teacher who said if NCT fails today, it’s your fault, in Malibu."
This one statement from Taeyong gives a glimpse into the jarring responsibilities and daily life of a K-pop group leader. The immense burden to communicate with 22 members and reach a unanimous conclusion can be emotionally draining and Taeyong is not unfamiliar with this feeling.
“Honestly, during these six years, I have constantly thought about the team, the members, the company, and everyone…There were a lot of moments I wanted to give up the role of being a leader.”
As NCT progresses with its seventh year in the music industry, all eyes are on the group and Taeyong as its leader. However, he hopes to serve their fans with great music and come out with flying colors.
3) Apink’s Chorong
The July 5, 2018, episode of tvN’s Life Bar, featured Apink’s leader Chorong and member Jung Eun-ji alongside MAMAMOO’s Wheein and Hwasa. The episode was full of deep conversations and real-time discussions to the point that Chorong teared up while expressing the pressure she faced as a K-pop group leader.
The Apink leader Chorong, also known as Park Cho-rong, said,
“I’m the leader so everyone asks me about the members. So I’d always spend time talking to each member and making sure everyone is okay but it turns out that I was never able to talk about myself.”
As she continued telling how touched she was once her agency director told her to cut herself some slack and relax a bit, her eyes gave it all away.
Red Velvet’s Irene too had a similar experience on the Yang and Nam Show. The K-pop group leader got teary-eyed when the host mentioned how tough it would have been for Irene to bottle up her emotions and shoulder all responsibilities without sharing her hardships or worries.
4) INFINITE’s Sunggyu
During INFINITE’s ten-year celebration Q&A segment, Kim Sung-kyu also known as Sunggyu revealed the many struggles of being a K-pop group leader. When asked what was his hardest moment as a leader, Sunggyu disclosed that there were too many to count and he can go on and on.
After some deliberation he stated,
“I can honestly say it was when we renewed our contracts. I represented both sides of the agency and the team. I remember it was really difficult. I felt pressure on my own. I was trying to be more responsible with really heavy shoulders…I wish other members understand what I am going through.”
The K-pop group leader also revealed how initially, fellow members didn’t “treat him like a leader”. He recalled an incident where Dong Woo took an entire room to himself instead of offering it to him or sharing it with other members. He stated how minute things like these bothered him to an extent that he “wanted to quit being the leader”.
5) Super Junior’s Leeteuk
The leader of Super Junior Park Jeong-su, commonly known as Leeteuk, poured his heart out in one of the episodes of tvN’s SUPER TV. Not only was the entire episode an emotional roller coaster, but it also showed the lesser-seen side of Leeteuk, that had fans in tears.
The K-pop group leader opened up about his unseen struggles as a leader that had him questioning his real identity. Even though he wanted to express his plight, he held himself back in order to save other members from the pain. He said,
“As a leader, you are expected to act a certain way…I had to pretend to have leadership when I didn’t. I had to pretend I was strong when I wasn’t. So after some time, I began to think about ‘What is my real self?’”
Leeteuk burst into tears as he continued to express his long-buried and pent-up feelings.
Leading a group is not everyone’s cup of tea. It has its own shortcomings and challenges that have the potential to impact one’s personality in multiple ways. Yet, these K-pop group leaders among many others have shown incredible courage to speak their hearts out and familiarize fans with the reality.
